President from 2008 to 2011 after her father Franco, she is now mayor of Visso: “The greatest emotion? The Scudetto. When we left, I should have explained better, but I have reestablished my relationship with the fans. There is still great affection with Totti.”
Her passion for Roma remains unchanged, so much so that on Sunday — despite a cold and a cough that still makes her voice tremble at times — Rosella Sensi was at the Olimpico, enjoying the Giallorossi’s victory against Verona. She divides her time between the capital and Visso, the Sensi family’s hometown in the province of Macerata, where she was elected mayor in June 2024 on a civic list. Like her father Franco and her grandfather Silvio. The word most used in those parts is reconstruction, as the buildings still bear the marks of the 2016 earthquake. “There is a lot to do. We are talking about 1,800 people who have lost practically everything. I hope to be able to make a small contribution and give them back a modicum of normality.”
She continues to follow in her father’s footsteps, as she did with Roma, where she was first president and then, from 2008 to 2011, chairman.
“My father taught me everything. Or rather, my father and mother taught me everything, and they did so above all by example, albeit in different ways: my father conveyed determination, enthusiasm, a desire to get things done, and perseverance in achieving a goal, while my mother knew how to bring us back down to earth. I hope they are happy with me.“
You seem to prefer doing to appearing.
”That’s true, but it’s not always a virtue, especially in a world that thrives on appearances. If I have to reproach myself for anything during my years as president, it’s not having been able to communicate things in the right way.”
Are you referring to the end of Sensi’s management?
“It was a difficult time, leaving was the right thing to do, but I’m sorry that it ended that way. I probably should have explained the situation better: a lot of wrong things were written, that I didn’t want this, that I didn’t want that… What I can say is that sometimes, when you experience certain situations from the inside, the decisions you make or are made to make are dictated by many factors. Explaining them might have created less resentment. Fortunately, after a very difficult initial period because, as a family, and I in particular, we seemed to be the evil of Roma, I now have an exceptional relationship with the fans again, very much in memory of my father, but I can say that there is also affection towards me that moves me.”
So let’s talk about great emotions.
“The greatest, needless to say, was when the final whistle blew on June 17, 2001, and we won the Scudetto. When the fans invaded the pitch, I saw my father’s face and ran to be with him. On the one hand, I was beside myself with joy, but on the other, I was terrified by the chaos… But let me tell you about another emotional moment, a bad one for Roma but a beautiful one for me on a personal level: it was the season of five coaches, 2004-05, after the victory in Bergamo that secured our survival, I hugged Bruno Conti, who had helped us so much by taking over the team mid-season, and the other managers, creating bonds that still last today.”
Do you remember any moments of anger?
“Above all, seeing my father’s pain over the protests, because for him, until his last day, despite being in intensive care, Roma was his primary concern. As for me, 25 days after having my daughter, I began to receive serious death threats: I was afraid for my husband and especially for my daughter.”
Pallotta also made you a little angry…
“I won’t dwell on it because I don’t like to do that to someone who is no longer here. Unfortunately, he was part of Roma’s history for a certain period, and the anger is not so much towards the Sensi family, because no one can erase history, but rather towards what was done within the club. What was that? In my opinion, inappropriate choices, probably dictated by the absence of a president who may have left managers who were not entirely capable of doing what they had to do. And then there’s the story of the Trigoria Chapel being turned into a warehouse: my mother cried, she never did that.”
You recently posted something for Totti’s 49th birthday.
“We don’t talk as much as we used to, but the affection is still there. I still call him my big brother because he remains the leader, even though he’s younger than me…”
Let’s get back to the present. Gasperini’s Roma are top of the table.
“Look, I’m very superstitious and I don’t like to make proclamations, but when you win well, when you win a derby and give enthusiasm to the team and the fans, it’s right to give credit to the architects of these successes, including the club, of which, I emphasize, Ranieri is also a part, an important choice in a structure made up of important managers.”
Your father was a very present president, he always put himself out there: the Friedkins don’t say a word.
“It was a clear choice, made by the president from the beginning. And then soccer has changed. I hope it doesn’t implode, as I’ve heard some people say, and that these foreign investors can help our league grow. It deserves it. Of course, Roma fans always wait to hear from the president, but we can’t blame him for anything.“
Are you happy about the new stadium?
”It’s important for Italian soccer, and therefore also for Roma. From Viola onwards, all the presidents were aware of the importance of having their own stadium. We came close, but today it has become essential.“
You posted on Instagram about Kirsty Coventry’s election as IOC president.
”At the management level, women in sport are a little behind, but I don’t want to make it a gender issue. It’s more a question of habit. The world needs to get used to having women in important roles without it seeming unusual and to recognize their merit, not as women but as professionals.”
